Blood Draw Drama

[Sthronds]

Anyone else have a hard time having blood drawn? I have been told that my veins were deep, that they jump, and that they are small. It all just adds up to a stressfull time for me! I had to have blood tests done this morning and it took 5 pokes before they decided to use the vein in my hand. OUCH! Today, I was told that I was probably dehydrated. I wish they would come up with a better way than poke and search.

 

[Tiffer]

They use the butterfly needle on me. I find that helps alot.

 

[horseshowmom]

I'm the same way. One arm is a little bit better than the other but not much. They've had to do my hand on several occasions. I've had the nurse have to get the doctor to come do it after finally giving up (after several sticks). I feel your pain...

 

[cristit14]

Next time make sure you aren't dehydrated and if it was easier to get it out of the hand, have them start there...

 

[dcentity2000]

I have weekly blood tests and recently they've found that I've "run out" of blood.

Very odd.



Rich::

 

[micki7337]

I feel your pain. For my entire life nurses and techs have struggled to get my blood. They've gone for my hands on a number of occasions. And just recently, when the hand gave up they started to look at my feet!!! On that day, I took down 2 members of the IV team and the technician before another tech walked up, stabbed my arm (not kidding here) and was able to get my blood.

Fortunately the office I have blood drawn every week only using pediatric needles and there is one special nurse - I call her my angel - who knows exactly when my only vein hides.

 

[Sthronds]

They use the butterfly needle on me. I find that helps alot.

That is what they ended up using on my hand. They didn't try it in my arm.

 

[Sthronds]

I have weekly blood tests and recently they've found that I've "run out" of blood.

Very odd.



Rich::

That sounds kind of serious?

 

[Tiffer]

When DSS was 4, he had toncilitis and tried to give him an IV when admitted to the Hosp. They couldn't get a veinonthat kid. They literally had 7 people, including the head of the lab.

He was so brave, but it BROKE MY HEART! Fianlly they were aiming for his shin b/c they tried evervyplace else. I finally stepped in and asked if we could just give himoral meds! OR even injection would be better at that point. Poor baby.

 

[fabumouse]

OMG!! Susan - I'm so sorry. Yech.

I once had the nurse infiltrate or something - and all the blood pooled up inside my arm.

That doesn't help, does it?

 

[DVCLiz]

I have weekly blood tests and recently they've found that I've "run out" of blood.

Very odd.



Rich::

Sorry to hear that, Rich - what do they think you're running on these days?

I was finally told I have "non-palpable veins", after a frustrating hour at the blood drive at my daughter's school. So I have a free pass for all but medical draws. They always fuss around for a while, but so far so good!!

 

[disneymom3]

Insist on the butterfly needle next time around and make sure you drink a lot of water in the couple of days before you go in. It really will help.

DS6 just had his 3rd blood test in 4 weeks. MAN, those little people can be strong when they are motivated. She walked me into the room with the chair to sit down in last week and I just looked at her and said, "That is never gonna happen. We need the table." Yep, me and the assistant holding him down and the lab tech drawing the blood. Thank goodness he has easy veins and they are awesome at what they do.

 

[dcentity2000]

That sounds kind of serious?

Hehe, nah, it's more an oddity. Needle goes in, blood starts to flow and then it just *stops*.

No-one knows why.



Rich::

 

[Hannathy]

Next time before they try to draw your blood keep your hand hanging down(your arm straight down pointing to the floor) it will cause the blood to pool a bit in your hand veins and should make it easier to find your veins. If you forget to do this give your hand a shake or two to try and do the same thing. One trouble is lab techs tend to be trained to look only a few places and with some people you need to get creative! Try working an inner city ER and have drug addicts come in , some we used to have to ask them what vein they had left ,the best was one whose toes were the only unused ones!

If your veins dive tell them to wait a second after the initial stick and they often come back up and then you can get in them. Good Luck!

 

[MScott1851]

I am sorry for you guys who are a hard stick! I used to be very hard to stick when I was younger, and somehow "grew" veins, thank god!

I do totally agree with the above poster! Some people just don't know where to look for veins. They are used to sticking in the AC, the back of the hand, and that's it! You can't always see them, you should be able to find them just by feeling them, too, have a basic idea of where they SHOULD be if you can't feel them, and sometimes get a transilluminator out and look THROUGH the hand in the dark. I've stuck people in the oddest places, but they don't mind that they have an IV in their breast, or up near their shoulder, or on their thumb, or the top of their foot, if I get it on the first try, instead of someone else making a pincushion of them ten times.

I pride myself on being a "good sticker" and often have to run up to the other floors in the hospital to start IV's or draw blood. I have a lot of frequent fliers that if I find a good vein in an out of the way stop, I tell them to "save that vein for ME! It's mine and don't let anyone else stick it and ruin it!"

 

[Sthronds]

Ok, I want Hannathy and MScott1851 to come and draw my blood next time!

 

[disneymom3]

MsScott--you sound like one of our favorite neonatal nurses. DS was hospitalized a lot when he was a baby and they tried every possible vein. He has had IVs everywhere--arm, wrist, back of the hand, ankle and even in his head. It got to the point where I would just say before anyone even tried to stick him, "PLEASE see if Linda is on duty somewhere. Please!" She didn't always get it the first time but almost always and it never took more than two tries.

 

[VirtuallyMe]

I'm one of those hard to stick people... my veins are deep but they are dead center in my arms. I never have trouble donating blood but when I'm sick the people there can not stick me worth a darn- except a few (lol)

I'm also a nurse so beings as I have been tortured plenty throughout my life I know to try my best to not torture people.

I've had some people who tell me they are difficult sticks that they always have trouble and I get their blood with no problems- but that is because I will look in more than one place before sticking and I don't have to see a vein to stick it- but I do have to feel it before I will stick.

My limit is two sticks and then someone else can try- except the few times when someone tells me to do it... because they don't want to go through someone else sticking them.

There are just sometimes people are harder to stick- and the people with fear of needles are the worst- because those veins will colapse before you can stick the skin-

Another idea is to make sure your arm is warm- I usually suggest those with trouble wear long sleeves even in the summer- and rub their arms while waiting and hold them down too- it all helps. And if you find a vein that is easier to stick remember its location and suggest others stick there.

 

[CrazedDisFan]

Hard stick here, too. It's miserable and to be honest, I have passed out on occasion. I now know that I can demand a different phlebotomist or nurse if the first one can't hit it. I also know that I can tell them to get a butterfly and just get it out of my left hand. I know it hurts worse there, but it's better than the multiple pokings.

Here's my ridiculous, but accurate numbers...

23 ~ the number of tubes of blood that I had drawn after a 20 hour fast.

9 ~ the number of pokes I incurred to get the 23 tubes

2 ~ the number of times I fainted after that

3 ~ the number of nurses that tried to get the blood

1 ~ the number of anesthesiologists that finally came to my rescue

13 ~ the number of times it took for the OR nurses to get a new i.v. in me following a miscarriage

1 ~ the amount of times I told the nurses to give me the D*** needle I could give my own i.v. (then I promptly fainted, I woke up with an i.v.)

 

[disneygirlatheart]

I feel your pain. I have always been this way. As a matter of fact yesterday I had to get stuck 5 times before they could get all the blood they needed. My vein kept moving. Now my arm is bruised up and hurting.